Acceleracers 5: The Edge
by Chris Tezla
Summary: The drivers are back, and an old enemy has resurfaced. However, our young hero is far from his normal self. Will they be able to get him back to normal? Will they be able to save themselves and humanity again? Follow the continuation of Acceleracers to find out what lies ahead.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

A few people gathered out in the dessert, the sun setting and the cool night air began to settle down for the evening. They all stood on a single road, barren of any activity. It seemed to stretch for miles into the setting sun in the distance. A state sign clanked on it's pole, it read Highway 35. The people that were standing all looked out, almost trying to remember another moment of time. What was odd was that to every person, there was a car.. very nice cars to be exact. The type of cars you would only see in street racing, or from video games. A scratchy sound came from one of them, like from a radio. A raven haired male with orange goggles looked over to it and leaned into the car window. A woman's voice was heard as he tuned it in slightly.

"Did you find him yet?" She said.

"No." The man said as he looked to the others. "Not this time.."

The others just seemed to gather around the man and his car, a look of disappointment evident in all their faces. Who are they looking for? Why are they all upset, like they lost a dear friend? What is this place? They all got into their cars and speed off, not on the road, but into the dessert itself. A cloud of dust and some tire tracks was all that was left of the gathering.

A gasp of air was heard as an alarm began to blare. Up shot a man with blonde messy hair. He had a face of pure confusion as he turned off his alarm.

"Why do I keep having that dream?" He muttered to himself as he walked to his mirror and looked into it. A reflection of the faces flashed in the mirror. He stood back and shook his head.

"Vert, it's time for drill, come on!" Yelled a mans voice through his door.

The blonde ran quickly around his room, getting ready for the long day ahead for him. He made a dash for the door, trying to push his thoughts away for later. A man met him outside his room, he looked like he could be his father. They both made their way through the stark and seemingly endless hallways, passing men enclosed entirely in high tech hazard suits. They made it to a central room, futuristic technology lined the room and more men scattered around it. Everyone looked the same.

"So what is it today? Testing new boosters?" Vert asked the man.

"Today there was an odd reading out in the desert, we need to see if we can get a sample of the energy around there." He answered back.

Vert sighed. He was afraid of something like that. To him that was the most boring thing. Here they had amazing cars and all they are doing is run of the mill things, they aren't even racing them for fun. Vert wondered why he was even that interested in racing. Maybe it was just due to boredom and being inside all day.

A white haired man stood at the head of a long conference table, waiting for everyone to settle down before he started to talk. The room was lined with high-tech computer screens and in the center of the table there was a holographic projector that currently displayed a map. On one side there was a rough and tough looking team, on the other there was a sharply dressed team. Both looked on, waiting for the man in charge to speak.

"We all know there is unusual activity going on, but what we don't know.. is why?" He said, more so to himself it seemed. "We also know that the Silencerz have caught on." He looked at everyone, expecting someone to speak up. Sure enough, someone did.

"Yeah, and they have Vert." Said a Hispanic man looking rather angry. "When are we going to get him?" Everyone else looked to the man in charge.

"Dr. Tezla is trying his best to plan the best way to get him, without there being a fight." A woman spoke up.

Everyone looked at one an other, almost shocked at what was just said. Tezla coughed slightly and looked at everyone, who was now waiting for answers.

"A fight? Are they that obsessed with him?" Said the man with the orange goggles.

Tezla just shook his head. "Kurt, they aren't after just him as a driver, but what he saw.. what he brought back.. everything." He trailed off.

Another woman, who was seated with everyone stood. "What he brought back?"

Tezla hit a button and the projector changed images, to a wheel. He pointed to it. Everyone just looked at it and shrugged.

"Yeah, so what? It's just the wheel of power." Said a rather small man.

The first woman to speak shook her head. "No Monkey, look closely. Don't you notice anything odd about it?" She asked.

He simply shook his head no as he leaned closer to the image.

A man standing in the back moved closer to everyone. "It's got another wheel." He simply stated.

Everyone murmured to each other, trying to figure out how that could be possible. They looked back to Tezla, confused.

"Taro's right, it's another wheel. Does that mean there is more realms?" Asked the woman who was among the group.

Tezla nodded and looked to everyone who seemed to look happy, the happiest they have ever looked over the past few months. They lived to drive and at one point they even drove to survive. Now they will be doing it again. However, this time they are missing a key person. Vert Wheeler, the winner of the Ultimate Race. He got to meet the ones that built the realms, the Accelerons. After the old headquarters was destroyed in order to exterminate the drones, Tezla built a new Acceledrome where he continued his work. The others continued to search for their friend, who vanished with the Silencerz. While on a search for him however, they found odd energy fields around the old base. What can this mean? Is there a new threat? Only time will tell.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

An indicator on the map started to flash along with a series of beeps. Everyone looked to it to see where it was located and what it meant this time. Tezla zoomed in on the location and a read out was pulled up on the screens. One of the women walked over to the screens.

"It's the same as before, but this time it's more strong." She called out.

Everyone stood, getting ready for their next assignment. Ever since the realms closed, there has been odd events taking place in the desert. Things that shouldn't be happening. Tezla motioned them to stay put for a moment while he got the exact location and type of reading he needed.

"Lani, are you sure it's stronger?" He asked.

She nodded and pulled the new reading up. She looked confused and looked back at everyone who were waiting for their orders.

"It's coming from the old base." She stated to them.

Another set of beeps went off as the scan picked up more activity. Someone was out there, but who? Tezla motioned them to go. In an instant they were out the door and in their cars. Ready to confront the group that beat them.

"Who do you think is out there at this time of night?" Monkey asked.

The Maniacs just looked at each other and then shook their heads. It should be obvious by now who it is. There can only be one other group out in the desert.

"Do you think Vert will be with them again?" Asked Nolo.

Everyone stopped, almost forgetting their encounter with him the last time.

"I hope so." Kurt answered.

They all climbed into their cars and sped out of the building and into the dark cold night. There was a sense of emergency, but it also felt eerie. None of the drivers spoke, all they did was drive. There wasn't even any music coming from the Teku as they went further into the desert. Everyone was too focused and even a bit on edge.

"Sir, I'm picking up a group heading this way. ETA in 10 minutes. Want us to intercept before arrival?" A voice over a radio asked.

The man pressed a button on his steering wheel, which brought up a map showing the location of said group. "They are not a threat, just stay low." He answered.

"Roger" He said.

Vert drove behind his dad, only half paying attention. He felt like he knew this place, in fact, he was pretty sure he had a dream about it before. He had an odd feeling of nostalgia as he drove through rock formations. Where was this place, and why did he get this feeling? He was also wondering why there would be people out this late and this far into the desert. Were they racing? He felt a bit of excitement at that thought.

The drivers looked around at their surroundings, remembering it like it was yesterday. The rock formations began, so they didn't have too much time to look around. They all weaved in and out of them with ease. Their cars were made for turns like these. They all seemed to hold their breath as they drew closer to the destination.

"No going back now everyone. Create a single line and slowly curve inward. They won't be able to run this time." Tork said over the radio.

Everyone listened. Since the end of the racing realms, everyone works together much better. There is still small fights that break out, but they are over within a few minutes usually. The other group was already there, camouflaged to look like tourists. They knew better. One of them just stared at the group forming around them. He was in awe. The camo soon dropped and reviled the Silencerz, with Vert.

"Vert!" Nolo called out.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Vert was so confused, there was too many people to completely match up to his dream. He also didn't quite recognize this man that knew his name, though he seemed familiar. He wanted to find out more, but knew it would be way out of bounds to go off alone. Especially with strangers. He was willing to risk it though, something told.. no, something is driving him to go. He looked to his father and the other drivers and then back to the group that currently surrounded them. Even if he was going back with his father, there would be no escape.

"Vert, don't you even think about it!" His dad called out, catching on to the look in his eyes.

Vert paid no attention to him, he was determined to get to the bottom of everything, no matter what. He got into his car and revved the engine, almost hoping the group would know what it meant. They did and began to fall out, creating just enough room for him to get by. His father was already in his car and ready to chase him if need to be, but he knew that he wouldn't have time to catch up. He went, feeling so free for some reason. Like he was meant to be with them. He never felt like that at the other place.

"Vert, get back here. They are bad news, you're going to blow everything!" His father called over the radio.

"Dad, I'm not some kid anymore. I wan- I have to do this." With that, Vert signed off. Leaving his father and the other drivers in the dust.

He had no idea where he was going, who these people are, and why he felt so happy. But he loved it.

Everyone was ecstatic to see him, so happy that he was alright. However things were far from normal. He had no idea who they were. He kept telling them about people called The Stark and The Vandals, about a sentient race that pretty much went extinct. They were so confused, but amazed at how detailed his descriptions were. Tezla was a bit worried though, thinking it could be some mild brain damage, but none the less he kept asking questions.

"So you were friends with this Sage person?" He asked.

Vert nodded and explained more.

"Hold up, you got into these worlds with keys? So was it like the opposite of the accelechargers?" Asked Lani.

Vert just looked at her blankly and then to everyone else. "I'm not sure what that is.." He said.

That's right, he doesn't remember anything. It seems like someone needs to explain everything to him, from the beginning of the World Race, to now. Tezla seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and left the room.

"So, what's it like working with the Silencerz?" Asked Kurt.

Vert shrugged. "It gets beyond boring, trust me. I'd rather be riding some waves or racing than sitting in on meetings and training."

Everyone looked at him and laughed.

"Still sounds like him." Shirako said between songs.

Maybe there was hope now, maybe their old friend will be able to remember things again.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A laugh broke out in the silence of the night. It was dark and eerie, but there was no one there that the laugh could belong to. A cheering sound could be heard as well, it was almost mechanical in sound.

"Soon, very soon.. I will have revenge." The voice stated, trailing off into a growl.

"Do you think they will like my new look?" A familiar voice asked.

Tezla, who retreated to his lab earlier looked over to where the voice came from. The drivers didn't know it, but in the months that they have been here, he had been working on rebuilding Gig. His robotic companion that was lost with the old Acceledrome.

"Since when do you care about something like that? Perhaps I made you too human.." Tezla trailed off.

Gig shook his head and stepped back a bit, a unsure look of what the doctor was thinking of doing.

"You're correct, I'm fine." Gig responded.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, both of them went over to it.

" , there is another reading!" Lani shouted through the door.

He opened it and both emerged.

"Uh..hi?" She said to the new Gig.

He simply waved as he tried to keep up with Tezla's pace. He missed being able to fly around. Lani just shook her head and ran after them. The other drivers were already there, waiting and staring.

"Who's that?" Asked Taro to Lani.

She shrugged and pulled up the latest reading. Gig was staring at everyone, a bit confused since he wasn't used to looking the way he did. He looked over to Tezla and then back at the racers. They all waited, for him to be introduced of course.

"It's Gig." He simply said.

Everyone just stared and began to whisper things to each other.

"What?" Gig asked.

Everyone began to laugh. He felt so embarrassed. Was this what it was like to be human? It was horrible.

"You put your shoes on wrong and your pants are on backwards..." Tezla stated. "Anyway. There is another reading, this time some audio was picked up. It's a bit distorted, but I'm sure you will all recognize the voice."

He pressed a button and the audio began to play. Everyone's faces went from confused to shocked once they realized who the voice belonged to.

"Kadeem?!" Everyone shouted.

He nodded and turned to one of the screens.

"You all know what this means. The drones are still alive, he is still alive. Vert, we need you to go back to the Silencerz for now. Gather as much info as you can about the Wheel and even go into realms if you can. In a few days come back here. We have a ton of work to do if we are going to stand a chance." With that he was gone again, leaving the drivers to sit in awe.

Nothing but trouble laid ahead for them, that's for sure. They did it once, so they can do it again. However, will it cost them anything like last time? They all looked to Vert, who was already heading out the door, off on his "spy" mission. Hopefully he is still the driver they knew.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It had been a week since they heard from Vert and everyone was becoming anxious. He was only supposed to be gone half a week. What could have happened? Did he get caught, or did he get his memory erased again? All of these questions seemed to be flying around daily between the drivers.

"It's Vert, we shouldn't worry!" Nolo exclaimed to everyone.

He was fully confident in his team mate. He did save the world after all. Everyone nodded and went on to tuning up their cars. Suddenly, Vert drove into the base. The drivers stopped everything that they were doing and went over to his car.

"Dude, where have you been?" Asked Shirako.

Vert just got out of his car and looked at everyone.

"I am starting to remember things, I just needed a couple of days to chill out." He said scratching his neck.

"So you remember us?" Asked Kurt.

Vert shook his head slightly.

"Well.. kind of. I remember you and Taro mostly." He said sounding kind of down.

Everyone shrugged as they all moved to their respective places. Vert went to go look for Tezla and Lani to report, as promised.

"Wonder what he found out." Asked Taro.

"Beats me." Said Porkchop as he helped lift a car frame.

Vert ran up the stairs, half excited and half down. He remembers some people and events, but it's not very detailed. Maybe he can prove himself once more with the info he gathered. The door to the control room opened, but no one was there. He made his way to the conference room, but only Lani and Gig where there going over notes and other things.

"Uh, hey Lani..Where is Dr. Tezla?" He asked her.

She looked up and smiled while she kicked out a chair for him to sit in.

"He's in his lab, I'm sure he'll be back soon. Sit down and help me sort these papers." She motioned for him to come over.

He shrugged and sat down.

"So.." She began. "What is it that you saw?"

Vert took a deep breath. This was going to take a lot of explaining. He doesn't even know where to start. He looked to her and then to Gig. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Tezla walked in.

"Oh, so you're back." He said moving over to the table and sitting down. "Don't let me interrupt."

Vert smiled nervously.

"Well, I didn't really start yet.. I don't really know how to describe what happened." He said looking down.

Both Lani and Tezla looked at each other.

"Maybe we should show him some old footage?" Gig said.

Tezla raised a brow and then looked to Vert who was still lost in thought.

"That's actually a good idea, get his old footage out." Tezla said.

Gig and Lani both went over to a keyboard and started to pull up old footage. Once it was pulled up, it began to play. Vert watched, interested and also creeped out. These people really did know him, he really did do this before.

"That...That's kind of how it looked and happened." He said in the middle of the footage.

Tezla paused it and then looked to him, waiting for more. Vert looked down and then back up again.

"I...I think I remember this.. I don't want to see more." He said. "They entered through the wheel, but they did something to it.." He trailed off.

Tezla tilted his head.

"Interesting, so they got it to work? Can you describe what they did?" He asked as he leaned in.

"Yeah.. they shot it with some kind of ball." Vert said.

Tezla stood up and began to leave.

"Thank you." He said as the door opened.

The door shut and Lani walked over again. She looked concerned.

"If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here for you." She said softly.

Vert nodded and got up to leave as well. Maybe talking to the drivers will bring back more memories. Especially the one he just got.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Vert walked into the Teku garage, he looked around to see who was there. He felt most comfortable talking to Kurt for some reason. Lucky for him, Kurt was there, alone.

"Hey Kurt, can I talk to you for a sec?" Vert called out to him as he made his way over.

Kurt got up from the ground and dusted off. He shrugged.

"Sure, got nothing else to do tonight." He said.

Vert nodded and took a seat in one of the chairs placed there.

"One of the things I can remember... it's not a good thing." Vert started.

Kurt looked at him and tilted his head a bit.

"Someone died." Vert stated bluntly.

Kurt now looked confused.

"No one died.. We did however lose a close friend to the drones. Kadeem." Kurt responded.

Verts eyes grew big, remembering the name.

"He's the one!" Vert shouted.

There was a clank that rang out from the Metal Maniacs side, followed by footsteps. Taro emerged.

"You remembered something again?" He asked in his usual tone.

"Kadeem. He is the one causing all of these weird things!" Vert shouted again.

Both Taro and Kurt looked at each other and then to Vert. A look of worry written on both of their faces. Everyone was once again gathered around the conference table.

"So you remembered what happened to Kadeem?" Asked Lani.

Vert nodded.

"And you are certain that he is the one causing all of these readings?" Tezla asked.

Vert nodded again.

Tezla paced a bit and then pulled up the hologram of the wheel.

"I have managed how to open it up again, and from Verts scan of the Silencerz wheel, I was able to copy the data." He began to explain.

Kurt stood up.

"You can expect us to go head to head with Kadeem, can you?" He said in his usual tone when talking to Tezla.

Tezla looked over his glasses at the younger man and then shoved them back up.

"You must do what is required to do, if you have to get rid of him... then I am afraid there is no other option." He stated matter-of-fact.

Vert shook his head and also stood up.

"Look, I might not remember much.. but Kadeem was a friend at some point, he gave everything to help us before this... Maybe there is still a chance to get him back.." Vert trailed off.

Everyone looked to each other, remembering their last encounter with Kadeem and how that worked out.

"Yeah, like the last time we tried." said Wylde.

Everyone looked down.

"Well,we are going to try again." Retorted Vert.

A Silencerz car navigated the tight turns of the orange track. It seemed to be in a panic to get away from something. A flash appeared in front of it as the track crumbled to pieces. The car fell into the darkness before it managed to teleport out. A black and green clad man emerged and began to laugh as another car came around the corner in a more calm manner.

"Useless human." The man said as the car grew closer.

The man slammed his robotic legs into the front of the car, causing it to tip up. He was quick to remove the driver before he could make an escape.

"Perfect bait.." He said, once again breaking into a laugh.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Once again, the two teams sat in the conference room . There was something off about this meeting, Vert could sense it.. everyone could sense it. Lani looked anxious, Tezla paced, Gig was even tapping his fingers. Well- close to tapping them. What was going on this time? Was it another reading, did the voice say something else? A few people shuffled uncomfortably in their chairs as they awaited someone to speak up. Finally the silence was broken.

"We have some disturbing news today." Tezla began. He looked around the room to see the reactions.

Silently he pressed a button which brought up a video.

"This is a transmission from the Silencerz." He stated as it began to play.

It showed a lone Silencer in a purple lit room.

_"Normally we wouldn't even dream to request assistance, but unusual times call for unusual actions. During a race in the new realms, we encountered an enemy... This enemy is someone you all know, and they are ruthless. They totally disregard humanity. This enemy has one of our men. You must be asking why this is different, why should you help? This man they have is not only important to us, but to one of your own as well. See to it that you defeat the enemy and retrieve the hostage. See you in the realms. End transmission."_

The screen went black and the two teams spoke among each other, trying to figure out what that all meant, why they should even care. There was one driver that wasn't talking though. Vert sat in total silence as he looked at his hands. Gig was the first to notice and tilted his head. He stood and walked over to him. His movements were sharp, not yet used to being in the form of a human. Tezla kept a watchful eye over him as he attempted to interact with Vert.

"Hey." Vert said, taking notice to his presence.

"You look like a drone hit you. Did you understand what he was saying?" Gig asked in a soft but rather blunt tone.

Vert looked up at him.

"My dad. They have him." Vert responded harshly.

Gig looked back to Tezla and then to the drivers who were looking over at them.

"Oh." He simply stated.

The room was so dark, the only light was an eerie green glow.

"Tell me how." A booming voice demanded.

There was no response.

"Human, I am not playing games. Tell me..." He trailed off. "Sooner or later, they will come, when they do.." He moved closer to his captive. "I will eliminate you in front of them all!"

There was still no response. Just a thud as the captor was kicked squarely in the chest. He stumbled backwards a bit before regaining his footing. A low mechanical growl echoed off the walls.

"We need to be careful." Tezla said to the drivers. "This is a hostage situation, and I'm sure that if we charge in without a plan.. it will end in disaster."

Gig walked back to the head of the table.

"Why not send me in? I am a robot." Gig inquired, looking to the other drivers.

They all burst out laughing.

"You? Drive? Are you trying to lighten the mood, or are you serious?" Wylde blurted out between laughs.

Gig looked down for a moment before looking him square in the eye. "Would you like to go back and lose another arm?"

Wylde stopped and stood, ready to knock him to the ground.

"Enough." Tezla said. "Sit down, both of you." Both sat, but glared. "We need to work together, we need to stay focused. The last time was too close for comfort, so we need to be several steps ahead of them." He motioned to the wheel. "I have it running, the alarms work the same as before. Be ready for them to go off at any moment."

Lani walked forward. "Make sure to get enough rest, all the cars have been equipped with new weapons." She ended there before moving back to her spot.

"So we wait?" Asked Kurt.

"We wait-for now." responded Tezla.

"And this guy... we just leave him there in the meantime?" Asked Nolo.

Vert stood and left the room.

"We don't have a choice for now." Tezla mumbled.

"Then we should test out our cars." Suggested Tork as he stood.

Everyone else followed.

This is going to be the most high stakes race they have ever done. Will they be able to keep their cool under pressure? Will they really have to rely on Gig down the road? Can they retrieve Vert's dad before it's too late?

Keep reading to find out!

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Vert sat silently in the control room, looking at the wheel and the other drivers on the test track. A multitude of questions floated around his head. Would he actually be able to race? He knew that he did prior, he even got to meet the Accelerons. This is different though, bits and pieces are missing of his former self. There is no time for him to learn either. What about who ever captured his father? Surely they must be a formidable threat, everyone seems worried and almost leery. His train of thought was interrupted when the doors opened.

"Do you think it will be the same as before? The skill sets and all?" Asked Karma.

"Dr. Tezla is 80% sure it's going to be the same as last time. The only difference is that he needs to activate it for the first run, which will be when another reading occurs." Responded Lani.

Karma looked at the wheel and back to her, the two of them not noticing Vert. "And what if it isn't?" She asked.

Lani shrugged. "You guys have new weapons so you can fight back, the best driving skills around. I'm sure you guys can do it." She answered.

Vert looked over. "What about me? Am I actually going to be able to help?"

The two women jumped. "Vert. Out of all the drivers here, you made it to the end of the races and stopped the drones. You especially will be able to do this."

The alarms broke the chatter as a beam of light hit the wheel. Everyone looked up in awe at the spectrum of light that permeated from the wheel. Gig was the first to enter the control room, followed by Tezla.

"All drivers are to go into the realm as I am not sure what awaits for you on the other side." He said over the intercom.

The four wheels spun at a rapid rate before they began to stop. Running foot steps could be heard down below along with the roar of engines and music blasting. Vert stood up to watch everyone, but was stopped.

"You're to go too. They need you." Tezla said as he motioned to the wheel. "It's not just a realm, its the world of the Accelerons- rather a hub world."

Vert looked at the wheel and back to him for a moment before turning away and running for the garages. Everyone seems to think so highly of him, so why not go?

"The humans have activated their side, Sir." Reported a mechanical sounding voice.

Eyes from the shadows appeared along with a smile.

"Wonderful, make sure to welcome them when they get into a realm." The booming voice cheerfully responded.

The cars flew around the track in every direction possible before hitting the jumpers and then the portal. Some were excited while others were on edge.

"Do..do you think this hub will have you know whats in it?" Asked Monkey.

"If there is, then we will smash them Monkey-man!" Roared Porkchop.

A few drivers smiled hearing that, while others grew more stern. It's been a while since they raced in realms or fought in them, which means the enemy will have the upper hand. For all they know, they could be being watched. The cars hit the track inside the realm one by one. There was a main track with several others splitting off and even more splitting off from those. There was a huge city in the middle under a dome like structure. In the center there was a complex looking Wheel of Power with several rings. It almost seemed like it powered everything. Off to the sides there were portals at the end of each track that took on the characteristic of what it was leading to.

"It's.. it's beautiful." Mumbled Shirako.

"Whoa.." gasped Vert.

Everyone kept going straight, assuming that is where they need to go. What lies ahead for them? Will the Accelerons be there, or someone else?

TBC!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Purple visors reflected the lights of the dashes in their cars. They drove on another track, beneath the drivers. Undetected.

"They are here." A voice said to the Silencerz.

"So is this the Acceleron's home, or..?" Asked Lani.

Tezla looked at the screens intensely, giving the question a second to sink in before he made an answer.

"I highly doubt it. It seems more of a hub realm rather than a home world." He finally answered.

The drivers looked around more, getting closer and closer to the center. The dome was a few feet ahead though, and some of them began to slow down.

"Hey Lani, can we get through this thing?" Asked Tork.

The radio crackled to life. "As far as we can tell, it isn't a solid mass." She answered.

"I see. Everyone, keep going." Tork said.

As they drew even closer, almost touching it, an opening appeared allowing them access. Some wondered why this dome covered the city. What was it protecting, or rather. Who? Vert looked forward. The Accelerons. He started to remember them and what he did.

"Welcome, humans!" Called out an unearthly voice.

Everyone looked up and around, even checked their radios. Everything was normal though. So who was it?

"What was that?" Asked Tezla over the radio.

No one could answer, they didn't know. Verts eyes grew large, recognizing the tone.

"The Accelerons." Vert said as he sped up.

An eerie dark room, only lit by green lights from monitors could be seen. A figure sat among them, another one was approaching.

"The humans are in." It stated to the seated figure.

The chair turned around to face the one who spoke. It was Kadeem in the chair.

"I see that.." He said to the obscured figure. "Perhaps we should make it interesting!" He roared.

"The Accelerons!?" Everyone asked at the same time.

Vert looked up at the enormous wheel above them and took a deep breath.

"I remember it's voice, and some more things. I'm pretty sure it's an Acceleron." He stated.

A beam came down from the wheel above, illuminating the buildings around them, along with the track. A giant face appeared in the beam, a quite alien looking one. Everyone was stunned and stopped short. At a loss for words, except Vert. He kept going and even got out of his car. He looked back to the others and motioned them to come forward.

"I see you've found your way back, and brought friends." The voice called out again.

Vert looked to the hologram. "Yeah, there has been weird things happening on earth. My dad has been captured by the drones..." He trailed off.

"I see, perhaps I can send you someone that can assist you." It said.

A figure stepped out of the light, it was womanly. She moved with grace and elegance.

"Gelorum!?" Yelled out all the drivers.

She walked closer to them, eyes locked to Vert.

"Don't worry yourselves. I am here to help, we have a similar goal now." She stated.

Something was indeed different with her. Instead of hatred on her face, it as calm. Instead of her green and black attire, it was blue and white. Is this really happening? Everyone was speechless once again. Could they trust her? Of all the people they thought they'd be working with, she was the last one they'd think of.

"How can we trust her?" Taro asked the hologram.

"She was 'spoken' to and saw her flaws. She wants her kingdom back, how it was thousands of years ago. To do that, you all need to work together and defeat the one that holds it hostage. More realms, trials, and hardships await you all. If you don't help, not only is her kingdom lost.. but ours will eventually fall as well. We wish you luck." It said before vanishing back into the wheel, but leaving a car for Gelorum behind, along with racing suits.

Everyone looked at them and were quick to grab the suits. They eyed Gelorum, who's attire matched what they were holding, but it was in a robe forum.

"Shall we be on our way?" She asked them.

The suits morphed onto them, they stood awkwardly while looking at their new threads. Kurt looked at Gelorum, who was waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, we'll help." He said looking to Vert.

Verts face lit up. As he ran to his car. The others followed. Soon, all of them drove around the city, looking for a means to get out, or continue. The Acceleron was right, they had a long road ahead. An interesting one at that.

TBC

I know it's short, but chapter 10 should make up for it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

One of the tracks lit up as a portal at the end of it activated. The drivers looked to it for a moment before driving down the track. Gelorum at the lead.

"You want to go home, right? It's this way, keep behind me." She said to them.

They complied to her orders wearily, still very uneasy on the situation as a whole.

"Can someone explain what is going on?" Monkey finally broke the tense silence.

Everyone was wondering the same thing. Despite having fought against Gelorum in the past, they knew that they had to trust the Acceleron. They just couldn't get over the feeling that she may be harboring ill will for them. It was all new to them. Everything they had fought for, raced for previously had been wiped away by this revelation. They all hit the portal one by one and came to a stop in the Acceledrome. They looked around before getting out, to make sure that no surprises awaited them like last time. Gelorum was the first to walk to the center, and looked up at the Wheel for a moment before she turned to the drivers.

"I see he rebuilt everything... Impressive. What do we do now?" She asked.

Tork and Nolo looked to each other and stepped forward. She didn't know it, but both the Teku and Metal Maniacs collaborated together and agreed on a system. Neither wants her to be on their team, and who knows what Tezla will decide.

"We need to figure out what is going on...and what Tezla-" Tork began to answer.

A cough interrupted him.

"What I have to say? I feel honored." Tezla said sarcastically, not pleased with the radio silence in the Realms. He looked to Gelorum and noted the change and similar uniforms the drivers had. "It seems like we have something to discuss." He bluntly stated to Gelorum.

Gig peaked around Tezla and looked at Gelorum, clearly uneasy and glaring at her. "Are you sure tha-" He began to ask Tezla.

Tezla held his hand up stopping him mid-sentence. "I'm willing to listen and work something out." He stated.

Everyone looked rather shocked, even Gelorum. No one expected him to be so easy going about this situation. What is he thinking of doing? Gelorum stepped forward, the drivers parted to allow her to make her way to Tezla.

"I think that would be for the best." She said coming to a stop.

"They are out of the realm, and Gelorum went with them. Sir." A Silencer called out.

A figure walked forward and reviewed the footage, still fully suited and helmeted. Data readouts panned across his purple visor in incomprehensible symbols and code.

"Interesting situation we have.." The mysterious figure mumbled.

The first Silencer removed his helmet. "Do you think she'll help us with getting back Vert's dad?" He asked.

The other Silencer made his way out of the room, but looked over his shoulder. "Patience, Alec. Major Wheeler will be found soon enough if we play it smart here," he called out as he left.

The doors shut and Alec was left staring at the footage, wishing he could just go to Vert and tell him who he was already.

"They are out of the Hub. Gelorum seems to have returned as well..." Kadeem growled lowly.

He turned to the still shadowed figure. "Perhaps we should start sending in our drivers to... eliminate them!" He stated with a more joyous tone.

"Don't... Don't touch my son or his friends..." A very tired Major Wheeler stated.

Kadeem only laughed in his face as he turned back to his screens.

Gelorum stood a the head of the table, looking at everyone who was seated.

"Where does one begin?" She asked rhetorically.

"...at the beginning?" Asked Monkey quietly.

She just looked at him, confused. He sunk slowly into his seat, with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Yes. The Accelerons built us as more than just an opponent; they built us as companions as well. Someone to understand them on a level comparable to their very own intellect. They built and taught us everything we know, and we expanded upon it. They treated us as equals... to an extent. Every stride we made to becoming our own empire, they were there to stop us, fearing us eventually as our lust for power overcame our love for our creators. We became less... cooperative, even beginning to hate them." She looked around the room before continuing. "Eventually all that was left was hatred, especially when it came down to races. We soon decided that we must destroy them in order to prevail. The Accelerons however anticipated this, and banished us to the Earth, which at that point was primitive, even less so than today. We had no purpose any longer, and no means to challenge the Accelerons. But I knew that one day we would be able to return to our home world and challenge the Accelerons once more. So we slept, dormant, for over 10,000 years. After so long, we finally sensed it… we heard it. The human race had achieved a high enough level of technology for us to exploit, so we awoke. I alone rose up from the caves, using the human disguise that had been built for me by the Accelerons. I was assimilated into human life, where I gained the means to enter Highway 35, which we had visited via the Earth eons ago. The rest is history, as you humans might say. After I was thrown into the void of the Sphere, I was retrieved by the Accelerons and reprogrammed, and the errors that caused my cataclysmic revolt were corrected. It was soon after explained to me why this error occurred."

Everyone looked on interested, even Wylde and Shirako were intently listening.

"We wanted to be equal to them, build our own tracks and our own home. They banished us after we became too powerful to control. Ever since then, I lead my... followers on only one path. The destruction of the Accelerons," Gelorum stated holding her fist up. "However.. It was a foolish and unwise decision. Only those who can compromise and live in peace are powerful enough to fully succeed. As robotic beings, all we strive for is perfection, yet I led them into perfection that would be our downfall. We perfected hate where as Accelerons perfected knowledge and peace." she said, drifting off as she looked to the Wheel.

Everyone talked among themselves before Tezla stood.

"So now your goal is to reclaim your 'followers' and restart, with the Accelerons as allies?" He asked.

She nodded in agreement. "If I don't, then everything will be lost..including the Earth." She turned back to everyone. "That is why I need your assistance, and also why you require mine."

With everyone assured that Gelorums intentions are clear everyone felt less on the edge. If they work together they will be able to stop the drones and save Vert's father. Will they be able to do it in time though?

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Everything resumed as it should have under normal circumstances, aside from Gelorum wandering around, silently watching everyone work. Though her intentions had been confirmed to be benevolent, everyone simply could not help but remember how she used to be. She was quite stiff in her personality, and very dry towards the drivers. It was only out of necessity that she conversed with them, and when she did, it became quite awkward. The more social of the drivers did make efforts to get her to loosen up, but to no avail.

"You humans are strange beings. The world is at stake along with a life and you are all playing like children?" she asked, utterly confused.

Kurt looked down and then back to her. "Hey, if we don't then the stress will get to us. Humans aren't perfect, like you robots." He stated.

She shook her head. To herself she wondered, "Why not strive for perfection? Why settle for being inferior to robots? If perfection is not achieved that why live?" She stopped herself there, recalling the words of her creators. "Everything deserves a chance at life, perfect or not. You will realize that perfection is not necessarily a good thing. It can be in fact the greatest flaw of all. You should know this. You were once flawed in this way."

Still, she could not see why the humans were so special. If anything she had been studying them. Trying to figure out why the humans are so beloved by the Accelerons. What made them special or even better than her and her drones? All she saw was flaw after flaw with a slight glimmer of hope. They were interesting, but not something you'd put up on a pedestal.

Suddenly, without warning, a car came flying into the Acceledrome from the north entrance. All alarms went off since it was wired to trip if an unexpected visitor were to show up.

"Who is that?!" Asked Tork to Nolo.

"He ain't one of us man." Nolo responded looking at the car.

The camo soon dropped from it. It was a Silencer. Tezla was quick to get down into the garage, he was close to a running pace after he saw the cloak drop. Everyone followed behind, curious, but on guard, not knowing what to expect. Even Gelorum joined them. The door opened as the driver stepped out. He held his hands up as he removed his helmet.

"ALEC!?" Yelled the previous drivers of Highway 35, including Vert. Everyone looked to Vert.

"You didn't know he was a Silencer?" Asked Lani.

Vert shook his head, in shock. Kurt looked to Tezla.

"...Did you?" He asked suspiciously.

"No, I had no idea." He stated almost amused with this.

"So yeah... I'm sorry, Dr. Tezla, for not saying anything... Vert, I am so sorry man. I came here 'cause I was tired of hiding and I want to work with you to get your dad back." Alec stated.

"Who else is a Silencer?" Asked Taro.

Everyone looked at him and then to Alec.

"Dan Dresdan." He simply stated. "No one else though. At least not that I know of." He added.

Everyone looked in shock.

"It doesn't matter who was or is a Silencer. We need to focus on getting into the realms and beating Kadeem." Tezla broke the silence. "What happened in the past isn't going to change our goals. I assume you're here to join us." he looked to Alec.

Alec nodded his head. "Yes sir."

"Then I don't see why we need to keep running this into the ground." Tezla said.

Gelorum stepped forward. "I agree. There is already enough time wasting going on by you humans. As amusing as it is to watch, we need to be one step ahead." She added in. The drivers nodded.

"Let's do it." Karma said, with enthusiasm.

"Sir, Alec left us." Stated a Silencer.

Dan looked at the empty spot where a car used to sit.

"I can see that." He thought for a second. "Let him be with Vert, we won't pursue either of them."

The Silencer nodded as they walked away. Dan stared at the wheel, thinking of the events that are going to unfold, especially if Alec spills about him being with the Silencerz. He pondered his decisions over the past two years, wondering if he had made wise ones. He was beginning to have the same doubts Alec had, but he kept that to himself.

The wheel activated and alarms went off. All the drivers got ready as they used to. Finally a realm was opening once again. With Gelorum on their side, will they be able to beat the drones with ease?

TBC


End file.
